Flu Vaccine

Flu Vaccine is available from the surgery from September/October.

If you are in one of the following groups, you will receive an invitation by post, or a visit from the nurse.

National policy for 2008/09 is that influenza immunisation should be offered to

i) all those aged 65 years and over

ii) all those aged 6 months or over in a clinical risk group (as detailed below)

iii) those living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities where rapid spread is likely to follow introduction of infection and cause high morbidity and mortality (this does not include prisons, young offender institutions, university halls of residence etc.)

iv) those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. This should be given on an individual basis at the GP’s discretion in the context of other clinical risk groups in their practice.

Clinical Risk Groups

Chronic respiratory disease and asthma that requires continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including chronic bronchitis and emphysema; bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung fibrosis, pneumoconiosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) Children who have previously been admitted to hospital for lower respiratory tract disease

Chronic heart disease

Congenital heart disease Hypertension with cardiac complications Chronic heart failure Individuals requiring regular medication and/or follow-up for ischaemic heart disease

Chronic renal disease

Chronic renal failure Nephrotic syndrome Renal transplantation

Chronic liver disease

Cirrhosis Biliary artesia Chronic hepatitis

Chronic neurological disease

Stroke Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs Diet controlled diabetes

Immunosuppression

Immunosupression due to disease or treatment Patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression Asplenia or splenic dysfunction HIV infection Individuals treated with or likely to be treated with systemic steroids for more than a month at a dose equivalent to prednisolone at 20mg or more per day (any age) or for children under 20kg a dose of 1mg or more per kg per day. Some immunocompromised patients may have a suboptimal immunological response to the vaccine

Borough Road, Middlesbrough TS1 3RX Tele: 01642 247029/247401 Fax : 01642 223803

Chronic respiratory disease and asthma that requires continuous or repeated use of inhaled or systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission	Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including chronic bronchitis and emphysema; bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung fibrosis, pneumoconiosis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) Children who have previously been admitted to hospital for lower respiratory tract disease
Chronic heart disease	Congenital heart disease Hypertension with cardiac complications Chronic heart failure Individuals requiring regular medication and/or follow-up for ischaemic heart disease
Chronic renal disease	Chronic renal failure Nephrotic syndrome Renal transplantation
Chronic liver disease	Cirrhosis Biliary artesia Chronic hepatitis
Chronic neurological disease	Stroke Transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
Diabetes	Type 1 diabetes Type 2 diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs Diet controlled diabetes
Immunosuppression	Immunosupression due to disease or treatment Patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression Asplenia or splenic dysfunction HIV infection Individuals treated with or likely to be treated with systemic steroids for more than a month at a dose equivalent to prednisolone at 20mg or more per day (any age) or for children under 20kg a dose of 1mg or more per kg per day. Some immunocompromised patients may have a suboptimal immunological response to the vaccine